Sunday, March 7, 2010

Out Spotlight CVXXVII

John Schlesinger, CBE, director of film, stage, television, and opera. Schlesinger was one of the most influential figures in British entertainment.

Born February 16, 1926 in London, Schlesinger was the oldest of five children. His father a pediatrician, his mother a stay at home mother, Schlesinger and his siblings were raised in a fairly middle class fairly discipline upbringing, with one exception, they were all encourage to everything for themselves creatively. Around eight his discovered magic which fascinated him, and when serving in the Army he had his own magic show, but that all changed when he returned to University.

Schlesinger attended Balliol College, Oxford University becoming interested in serious drama and filmaking while there. He collaborated on two films during his years at Oxford, as writer, co-director, photographer and editing them himself. One of them a short film, Black Legend in 1948. Both were shot on 16mm, but it was the not Schlesinger's first time behind a camera, he was given a still camera as a boy and space in the cellar for a darkroom. Early training for a visionary.

After Oxford, Schlesinger acted in a number of small roles for films. His first real success came in television in the late 50's, when he directed documentary films for the BBC. That led to his first feature film, Terminus, a documentary set in a London train station. From that producer Joseph Janni asked him to direct a series of films that focused on the restlessness of young people coming of age at the beginning of the "swinging sixties." The films were known for the responsive treatment of the young protagonists. The films featured such rising stars as Alan Bates, Tom Courtenay, and Julie Christie.

Darling, made in 1965, starred Julie Christie. It tells the adventures of anti-heroine Diana Scott who uses her sex appeal to achieve fame and fortune. Initially she draws the attention of a television journalist and convinces him to give up his family to be with her. Growing bored, she begins moving and sleeping around in the upper circles of society. She secures increasingly important modeling and acting roles, attracting the attention of the international nobility, but fails to find real love or happiness. is informed by gay sensibilities, not only through the introduction of a sympathetic minor character who is unambiguously homosexual, but also in its casting of the two male leads, Dirk Bogarde and Laurence Harvey.

Darling, received a Best Actress Academy Award for Christie and an Oscar nomination for Schlesinger, as well as 6 BAFTA nominations. It was the beginning of international reputation and prestige for Schlesinger, and it also allowed him to explore controversial themes, including homosexuality, more directly in his films.

A daring innovator, Schlesinger was a significant force in introducing homosexual themes into mainstream British and American films.

Schlesinger's first American film, was Midnight Cowboy (1969), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture despite an "X" rating. It is the only X rated film in Academy history to ever win. It focuses on a relationship between two men, a male hustler (Jon Voigt) and an ailing con artist (Dustin Hoffman). It also features a disturbing scene in which the hustler beats up a client.

Released in 1971, only four ,years after homosexual acts between men in private were decriminalized in Britain, Sunday Bloody Sunday explores a bisexual romantic triangle an older gay man and a divorcee become rivals for the sexual attention of a younger man.

Schlesinger later directed numerous feature films, including The Day of the Locust , Marathon Man, Yanks, Honky Tonk Freeway, The Falcon and the Snowman, Madame Sousatzka, and Pacific Heights. He dealt with homosexuality openly in Midnight Cowboy, Sunday Bloody Sunday and The Next Best Thing, and some consider the two main characters in Marathon Man to be implicitly gay.

His last film,The Next Best Thing with Madonna and Rupert Everett, a gay man and a straight woman who are best friends who have child together and what happens when she falls in love with a man five years later after raising their son together. It explores all sides of love friendship family and sexuality, in all stark frankness.

Speaking about Midnight Cowboy's unflattering portrayal of homosexuality,he said that he was against political correctness and the self-censorship it encourages, which would prevent such a film from being made. He did not try to only one side but opened everything to be explored and examined.

Movie directing was not enough he also served, from 1973, as an associate director of the National Theater, London, he made his operatic directing debut at London's Covent Garden with a production of The Tales of Hoffman, starring Placido Domingo was responsible for a number of opera productions at the Royal Opera House. In 1970, Schlesinger was honored by Queen Elizabeth II, who named him CBE (Commander of the British Empire).

He never made a secret of his homosexuality, and he lived quite openly with his partner Michael Childers, a photographer, from the late 1960s until the end of life, spanning over 30 years. But he became publicly "out," when, in 1991, Sir Ian McKellen, the first openly gay individual to be knighted by the British monarchy, was attacked in a public letter from filmmaker Derek Jarman for accepting the honor. Schlesinger was one of the dozen British gay and lesbian artists who signed a respectful response in McKellen's defense.

He underwent a quadruple heart bypass in 1998, before suffering a debilitating stroke in December 2000. He was taken off life support at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs on July 24, 2003 by his partner Michael. Schlesinger died early the following day at the age of 77.

87 comments:

Awesome said...

Wow - awesome Out Spotlight again, as usual. Just wow. :)

m said...

Terrific spotlight. What a talented man. I can still recall seeing Midnight Cowboy in the theater when it first came out. I was just dating my first husband and he took me to see it. We were blown away by the movie. I still watch it about once a year when it is on TV. And "Darling" too brings lots of memories. My first had a huge crush on Julie Christie.

I'm not planning to watch the Oscars, as usual, but look forward to the youtube clips.

crazy said...

I was looking at some pictures taken yesterday at the Weinstein party in this Gawker article. In this picture of Tom Ford talking to Lee Pace, the guy on the far right immediately caught my attention. Could he be Austin? We don’t see much of him but the ear, head, height, type of suit and tie match.

The Gawker article says about Jake at the party: "Jake Gyllenhaal was in an intense conversation by the couches."

Special K said...

Little trip in the way back machine to 2005.

Jake and Maggie Oscar Interview #1

Jake and Maggie Oscar Interview #2

Jake and Maggie went together. And Austin just happened to be able to get into the biggest and most covet party of the Oscars, Vanity Fair's party. Ahhh yeah.

Special K said...

We don’t see much of him but the ear, head, height, type of suit and tie match.

Don't think you're crazy. It does look like him.

Special K said...

Jake did not do the red carpet for the party either. Looks like he and Austin slipped in.

crazy said...

I think it’s Austin. The Gawker article says these are ‘Unauthorized photos’. They both skip the red carpet. Other articles said the party was incredibly crowded so it was difficult to see who was even there.

Ted said...

The Oscar festivities may come to a close tonight, but LA certainly has been partying like crazy this week.

Aside from a few celeb pit stops at The Night Before Party at The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Weinstein Pre-Oscar party was the place to be last night celebrating their nominated films like Inglourious Basterds, Nine, and A Single Man. Quentin Tarantino seemed to be honoree of the night as everyone wanted a piece of the director, but the partier who most caught our eye was Awful Truth fave Jake Gyllenhaal…who was seen chatting up another quasi-famous face for part of the night…

Jake and Olivia Munn (Chris Pine's ex gf) were speaking closely inside Soho House for part of the night, but we don't see a romance brewing quite yet for these two.

"It looked totally innocent," says an eyewitness at the shindig. "They hung for a while but Jake was overheard telling people he was just at the party to have a good time with his friends."

We're told the once Oscar golden boy was "smiling all night" as he perused the Hollywood crowd. We just love single (and happy) Jakey, don't you?!

Still, don't count the tabloids out for prematurely naming Gyllenhaal and Munn Hollywood's new couple!

Another stud on the prowl—we told you he so wasn't dating Jen Aniston—was Gerard Butler who was putting his best game forward chatting up a pretty young thang. "Gerard was talking with a young blonde who later revealed she had a boyfriend," an eyewitness tells E!, stressing Butler's disappointment afterwards. Still, the yummy Scot looking rather svelte in his suit and didn't let one misfire hinder his Oscar swagger.

"Everyone was just having a great time," our source says of the celeb attendees enjoying Soho House's 360-degree views of Los Angeles, not to mention trays of champagne, a meat-and-cheese bar and hamburger sliders.
...

Jake Gyllenhaal, Hungry and Ready to Mingle

crazy said...

Ted said: "...he was just at the party to have a good time with his friends."

Let's see if Ted gives us a clue that Austin was there too. Perhaps in a blind item.

Special K said...

We're told the once Oscar golden boy was "smiling all night" as he perused the Hollywood crowd.

Hmmm. No red carpet. Someone looking like Austin in unauthorized pictures, Jake in intense conversations by the couch and Jake smiling all night.

It all falls place doesn't it.

Special K said...

Tweets from Duncan

early call time tomorrow
@Nick_Newman depends how late they broadcast here. Call time is 6:30 am tomorrow, so need to be sharp for shooting
17 minutes ago via TweetDeck in reply to Nick_Newman

Sounds like Vera hasn't started yet
@lazygarfield Hah! She hasnt come on set yet.. we have her in a few weeks time.. right now I am just wishing her the best at th Oscars!
about 2 hours ago via TweetDeck in reply to lazygarfield

Sending all my best wishes and crossed fingers out to Vera Farmiga & Maggie Gyllenhaal tonight at the Oscars! Battle to the death, ladies
about 6 hours ago via TweetDeck


So! 1st week on Source Code: built a train, and it's a beauty, but a bugger to shoot on. JG & MM are such a good laugh! Love em to bits.
about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck

SC has more humour in it than we saw on the page, & that's been great fun! Shot some of our effects tests & they're wonderfully horrible!
about 7 hours ago via TweetDeck

ManMadeMoon

Florida Tom said...

John Schlesinger was a giant. I cannot believe Ive never seen Midnight Cowboy.


I dont think the man with the arrow pointing to him looks like Austin at all. I am really curious if he was in LA this weekend though. He most likely is on his way to Utah today.]

I have never understood why the Oscars are not on a Friday or Saturday night when most folks dont have to be up for work the next day.

Florida Tom said...

Ooops sorry I was looking at the wrong person. Yes the guy on the far right could be Austin.

link said...

The man with the arrow pointing to him is Tom Ford. The man who could be Austin is on the far right. We only see part of him: this man

Special K said...

Not the man with the arrow Tom. The guy to the far right of the picture in the light grey suit.


Watching E! They just showed a clip of PoP and what was right after it, an ad for Grey Goose vodka. And then they cut back to the coverage on E! You have to laugh.

March 7, 2010 5:41 PM

Special K said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Just Jared said...

Jake Gyllenhaal & Olivia Munn Couple Up?

pinchng Ted's stuff said...

Jared is a hack.

crap said...

Ted's intern Taryn was at that party, you would think she would mention Austin there, or someone else would. He is more recognizable nowadays and there are tons of pics, it wasn't a private party.

And yet she feeds him the Jake/olivia crap.

Special K said...

Maggie and Peter on the red carpet with Seacrest. They are really cute together. Peter cracked me up,telling about Maggie drunk dialing him at 1 am during rehearsals for Crazy Heart. And today's his birthday.

Oscars said...

Jake walked the red carpet.

pinky said...

And he's got his ring on.

Special K said...

Jake stopped by and chatted with Seacrest, who asked about last night's party and who he hung out with. Jamie Foxx was Jake's answer. Ryan did asked him about giving his sister a message, and Jake told her how proud he was of her. It was really sweet.

Seacrest did ask him about PoP and the sandals thing, and what parties he was going to. Jake scooted around that one by saying he has to get back to Canada for work. Also they had a moment about their respective pocket squares.

Jake looked great, everything looked good the hair, the tux, and yes that gold ring that seems to be staying.

Great to see Jake happy,smiling, laughing on the red carpet and looking so so good.

getty said...

Maggie & Peter Red Carpet

prairiegirl said...

Jake looked very good. Very loose. And happy.

Awesome to see him that way.

red carpet said...

Jake and Ryan S

getty said...

Jake

Jake again

More Maggie

The Gyllenhaals

anime said...

Maggie looks stunning. She and Peter are an awesome pair. Jake looks great.

Say whut? said...

Jake Gyllenhaal is one-upping Ryan Seacrest in the Burberry showdown, but does he have to chew come?
44 minutes ago


Esquire Magazine twitter

dr freud said...

Esquire your slip is showing.

Say whut? said...

Yeah I think they meant gum?! I wonder if someone is saying the words and another person is inputting them into an iphone or whatever for Twitter. Gum and come would be easy to mis-hear. Anyhoo I did a screenshot in case they delete it!

Special K said...

Jake just did an interview with Kathy Ireland for the ABC's preshow. Asked about PoP. Talked about Maggie. And Kathy congratulated him about her great performance on Brothers. Jake was trying to tuck the gum in his cheek instead of chewing it on camera. Guess you can't get away with toothpick on the red carpet. Got have something for those little jitters.

twitter said...

Yikes!! RT @tombiro:The Oscar.com announcer guy just said Maggie & Jake Gyllenhaal were spouses. He's definitely getting fired. #oscar

Twitter

twitter said...

there's seriously no way Jake Gyllenhaal can get any hotter than he is tonight #wtfwasreesethinking #Oscars 11 minutes ago via web NYDNgossip

ew said...

Jake Gyllenhaal escorts Rachel McAdams and her billowy train into the Kodak. 5 minutes ago via CoTweet

tweet said...

RT @maxvaliquette: Jake Gyllenhaal grew a beard this time, rather than arriving with one. #fb 2 minutes ago via web

Tweet

Special K said...

I agree Esquire! Best dressed for sure.

Best dressed man at the 2010 Oscars is Jake Gyllenhaal in Burberry. Worst? Frickin' Jesse James. More here all night: http://su.pr/5iLAiD
7 minutes ago via Su.pr


Esquire

Way to come back to the Red Carpet Jake.

prairiegirl said...

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin had absolutely the funniest opening monologue I have ever seen at an Oscars.

That was guffaw ripping funny and worth sitting through all of that syrupy, kiss-assing interviewing on the red carpet to get to.

Special K said...

The You-Can't-Just-Put-on-a-Tux Award: Jake Gyllenhaal

When Ryan Seacrest pulled him off the carpet, we got a Burberry-on-Burberry showdown — two supreme tuxedos that helped you see the details. And Gyllenhaal, with a smart bowtie and a solid haircut, made it look like he didn't even care how good he looked. The little one, with a long tie and a bar straight out of Mad Men circa 2008, clearly thinks it's all about the clothes. And you know what? It's not.

Esquire Red Carpet Fashion

just jared said...

Jake Oscar 2010 Red Carpet

Special K said...

At least they can't play Some Day my Prince will come when Jake comes out now, since they used it for Cameron Diaz and Steve Carrell's introduction.

Special K said...

So Rachel McAdams is sitting next to Jake. Do you think she'll forget and call him Ryan (Gosling) by mistake?

Peter and Maggie sitting next to JLo and Mark Anthony. Who heck did the seating chart?

dlisted said...

9:48 Jakey G is looking so butch!

9:48 You know, Rachel McAdams would make a lovely beard for Jake Gyllenhaal. I never noticed that until now.

Special K said...

Jake looked great and did a good job with Rachel presenting best adapted screenplay. The screenwriter for Precious was so overwhelmed by winning.

Did anyone notice that Jake helped him backstage and Rachel was on her own?

yes said...

sammarks: Jake Gyllenhaal seemed so nice putting his hand around on the Precious screenwriter's shoulder on the way out #oscars
half a minute ago

Oscars said...

caseymcgovern: Why is Jake Gyllenhaal sitting next to Peter Sarsgaurd?
less than 20 seconds

twitter said...

Jake Gyllenhaal is a mix between a sexy, middle-aged man and a baby animal. dawgson

mtv said...

7:22 Jake "never passes up a superhero" he just admitted to Josh. No, Jake, you should not.

7:20 Back to Josh on MTV's live red carpet, stream... he's with Jake Gyllenhaal. We can't get enough of Jakey. He just admitted he was "in discussions" to play Jake Sully in "Avatar," but that was as close as it came.
MTV Oscar live blog

male call said...

Did anyone notice that Jake helped him backstage and Rachel was on her own?

I know! It was hilarious! Note to Rachel: If you beard for Jake you better get used to it. Don't expect any doors opened for you either. Literally or figuratively. Look what happened to the last one.

Anonymous said...
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Finally said...

Yay for Catherine!

before it gets deleted said...

Anonymous said...

Are we sure Peter S. is straight? The more I see him the more he dings loudly.

March 7, 2010 11:52 P

Tipani said...

Dings?! More like bang a gong.

rayban said...

**EXCLUSIVE** Jake Gyllenhaal, wearing black Ray Ban sunglasses, arrives at Casa Del Mar Hotel to check in ahead of the Academy
Newspusher.com

Special K said...

E!'s After the Oscars just saw Jake heading to the Governors Ball by himself. Wonder what time the plane leaves?

m said...

Red eye flights are usually midnight or 1am, but he could be returning late Monday. Duncan must know Jake had a big weekend and would be exhausted. If he cant get a buy for Oscar weekend, then he's working for a taskmaster.

jake said...

What time's your flight to Utah Nic?

what you didn't see said...

But even still, there was plenty you didn't see on the ABC telecast. From Joel Madden's musical contributions to a funny conversation between Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams, find out what you missed from inside Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

• What a kidder! Presenter Jake Gyllenhaal was having a prolonged conversation with Rachel McAdams
in the lobby of the Kodak Theater before the actor finally
introduced her to a friend, saying, "This is Rachel McAdams, she's the mother of my child!"

People.com

gossip boy said...

GB,
Do you know the identity of Toothy Tile? I know it's Ted C's blind vice, but if you know everything...
Caleb

Caleb,
I'm pretty sure a lot of us know who Toothy Tile is, but are we right? You should ask him, or Ted

Atticus said...

Mama?

gossip boy said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Babbler bottom of the barrel said...

^^3:06 is NOT a real question/answer on The Gossip Boy blog. Poor Babblers are reduced to concocting fictional inquiries and answers addressed to other gossip writers and trying to pass them off as legit. That's the lowest of the low.

LOL said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
lol said...

Trolly will never learn

oscar said...

For a few moments, the Gyllenhaal family had a reunion. Supporting-actress nominee Maggie of "Crazy Heart" and her actor-husband Peter Sarsgaard met up with her brother, Jake, in the crush of celebrities at the Kodak Theatre.

"You just witnessed a Gyllenhaal sandwich," Jake said, smiling.

link

As the 82nd Academy Awards come to a close, co-host Steve Martin descends into the audience to kiss Meryl Streep and hug George Clooney. As most people rush for the exits, the brother-and-sister acting duo of Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal linger for a bit before strolling away together.
...
Bromance in aisle three! Bradley Cooper, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Bateman and Gerard Butler held their own awards show just before the real one got started. They laughed and patted each other on the back until a female voice came over the loudspeakers, interrupting the revelry to warn that the first commercial break wouldn't be until 25 minutes into the show. Some of the audience members gasped as they rushed to take their seats.

link

Avatar and PoP said...

Jake Gyllenhaal Talks About Almost Being In 'Avatar'

Actor also talks forthcoming flick 'Prince of Persia.'

It's hard to imagine a "what if?" scenario when it comes to 20th Century Fox's "Avatar," the 3-D science-fiction epic directed by James Cameron. While the movie failed to win the major awards at this year's Oscars, "Avatar" nonetheless remains the most financially successful film in cinematic history. But there's no telling how the film's success story could have played out if another actor portrayed the lead role of Jake Sully — a completely different Jake, in fact.

"Brothers" star Jake Gyllenhaal spoke with MTV News on the red carpet at the 82nd annual Academy Awards and confirmed rumors that he was once up for the role played famously by relative newcomer Sam Worthington. "There were definitely discussions," he confessed. "It was what it was, but ultimately it's a great honor that I was even thought of."

Even though Gyllenhaal never entered the dangerous jungles of Pandora, the actor still has an action franchise to call his own in the form of "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," director Mike Newell's adaptation of the video-game series of the same name. "You have no idea of what you're going to see," the actor teased. "It's really good."

Despite Gyllenhaal's endorsement of "Prince of Persia," most films based on video games have been met with harsh reviews from both critics and fans alike. But according to the actor, "Prince of Persia" is going to change that trend.

"I'm going to say right now that this will reinvent video-game adaptations," he declared. "This will finally pull off what people hoped that video-game adaptations [are capable of]."

MTV

Vanity Fair said...

Jake is filming today?

No Vanity Fair Oscar Party for Jake!

huh? said...

"The mother of my child" - two things:

1. what an odd thing to say or make up (People magazine is a rag)

2. "actor finally introduced her to a friend" - Jake's friend was a civilian, not some celebrity?

lol said...
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Anonymous said...
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lol said...
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Anonymous said...
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lol said...
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Anonymous said...
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^^^ said...
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prairiegirl said...

^^ You're all going to get your comments deleted; better enjoy looking at them now.

Obviously, someone feeling a little threatened this morning.

All I can say is I'm glad Avatar lost Best Picture. These things run too late - I hit the hay before it all ended. And Sandra Bullock's speech was touching.

And another revealing intentional slip by Jake? One thing that seems more and more obvious about Jake as I get a little used to some of the things he says in public (if this quote by People was true) is he seems to blurt out true feelings/statements but disguises them as joking/outlandish, so-crazy-it-couldn't-possibly-be-true.

I in particular love that slip.

Cannot imagine a picture with Jake and Bradley Cooper in the same screen. That would be something else to see.

Jake did look smashing last night.

^^^ said...
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Anonymous said...
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HBIC said...

itsTRICIAyo: How dare you Jake Gyllenhaal for not helping HBIC Rachel McAdams up the stairs & what not
5 minutes ago

HBIC = Head Bitch In Charge

hunk said...

OSCARS 2010: Jake Gyllenhaal leads Hollywood hunksOscars see the Hollywood hunks out in force

Newly-single Jake won't be single for long - he looked devastatingly handsome on the red carpet - although he did look a little lost on his own.

Fortunately, sister Maggie Gyllenhaal happily posed with him, bless her.

Special K said...

Do you think Ted is alluding to Toothy?

Dear Ted:
There are some persistent rumors about some big star's coming out on the cover of the next issue of The Advocate, is it true? If true, is it someone living in an open glass-closet already, in an iron clod closet, or in Narnia land? And is it one of your Blind Vice stars? I know curiosity killed the cat, but I'm a dog-person anyway, so please answer me.
—Audrey

Dear Coming-Out Party:
If it’s who I suspect, I wouldn’t get too excited just yet. This person has been rumored to come out in one magazine or another for the last five years. Maybe this time the dude will finally actually do it?

Bitch Back

red carpet said...

Twitter
ew:
Jake Gyllenhaal walked into Kodak behind sister Maggie and her husband Peter Sarsgaard.

ew.com

hangover said...

Kudos to the Oscars for having Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal present and having Neil Patrick Harris sing! Way to know your gay audience.
3 minutes ago via web
vidalporter

charybdis said...

Is it just me, or does Jake's new tux have a very Austin aesthetic, with it's narrow lapels and so on....

Advocate said...

Advocate - Sean Hayes

Thanks said...

^^:* Sean

OMG - always original and never mean-spirited posts. I don't know how you do it, another Outstanding Out Spotlight! :)

Midnight Cowboy is one of my favorite movies ever.

Special K said...

charybdis said...

Is it just me, or does Jake's new tux have a very Austin aesthetic, with it's narrow lapels and so on....

Hey Charybdis great to see you.

I thought the same thing when I saw it,and you'll see a mention in the post I'm working on.